The present invention relates to halogenated polysaccharides, their synthesis, and their use in articles of manufacture.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins include chains of ethylene chloride that have been cross-linked to form a polymer with a specific molecular weight or chain size. PVC can be mixed with other polymers such as thermoplastic urethanes, acrylic resins, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials to affect the physical characteristics of an overall polymer alloy. PVC is commonly used in pipes, shower curtains, flooring, construction materials, and many other consumer applications.
The dwindling supply of natural resources, fluctuating prices of petroleum products, concerns about greenhouse gases, and demand from consumers for more environmentally sustainable materials has dramatically increased the desire to utilize bio-based material. However, challenges exist in the production of bio-based materials. Such challenges include starting material feed stocks, already developed markets for competing products, and an inclination by industry and customers to maintain the composition of existing products. Although bio-based PVC may be produced using renewable ethanol-to-ethylene as a feedstock, bio-based PVC is not commercially viable due to the low cost of petroleum and natural gas starting materials. However, petroleum products and natural gas can be volatile in price, their availability can be affected by geopolitical events, and they can require substantial infrastructure development. PVC derived from petroleum products and natural gas is not renewable or sustainable.
Accordingly, there is a need for bio-based PVC alternatives that can harness renewable feed stocks.